NRMA Travel Insurance

Hello, This is a friendly warning and piece of advice for everyone planning to travel and purchase travel insurance from NRMA Insurance — do not waste your money. NRMA Insurance has built its reputation purely through heavy advertising, but in reality, it offers no real services. Because of its big name, it charges the highest insurance premiums… Read more

among all insurance companies. However, it never processes claims properly and never pays compensation.

This is not only true for travel insurance, but also for car insurance, home insurance, health insurance, job insurance, business insurance, and so on. They always try to delay the claim process unnecessarily with ridiculous and irrelevant questions, and they demand private and confidential information that has nothing to do with your case — all just to avoid paying compensation.

When handling a claim, they specifically ask for personal or sensitive information that many people are unwilling to share for privacy or security reasons. Then they use that as an excuse to reject your claim.

Personally, I have a travel insurance claim with NRMA that I submitted 2 months ago, but every time it is assigned to a new person who asks the same old questions along with new ones, even though I purchased one of their most expensive travel insurance policies.

This problem hasn’t just happened to me — many people I know have had similar experiences. For example, one of my friends filed a car insurance claim, and NRMA dragged the process on for eight months before refusing to pay. My friend lost $20,000, and the company’s excuse was that the other driver involved wasn’t answering their calls.

In another case, someone I know died in a house fire, and insurance company refused to pay compensation, claiming that the fire was suspicious or intentional, or that the deceased was somehow responsible for the fire. Can you believe that? A person dies in a house fire, and the insurance company says the fire was deliberate!

Based on my own experience and the experiences of friends, Bupa and Allianz are far better insurance companies. They handle claims quickly and pay compensation without unnecessary complications.

This was the first time in my life that I filed an insurance claim, and it turned out to be a terrible experience — all because of NRMA. I will cancel all my insurance policies with NRMA and strongly advise everyone I know not to use NRMA’s services under any circumstances.

NRMA/COVERMORE is shocking with travel insurance. The process is atrocious. We had to cancel our trip 3 months ahead of leaving due to illness and recommendation by my doctor not to travel. I have submitted the all of the claims forms 4 times!… Read more

Each time I get a response from a different person asking for the same thing and they don’t reply to my emails when i ask if they haven’t received the information. Tried getting through to NRMA by phone and when i enter the claim number it hangs up! This happened 3 times. ( Hint, don’t enter the claim or policy number, be prepared to be on hold for at least 10-15 minutes before speaking with anyone). Finally spoke with a guy called [Name Removed], he was helpful and did see that all the claims forms and info had been sent, he apologised and said there are some new staff. It was then handed over to a team leader. Still waiting to for the outcome. I would hate to be overseas and actually have something happen, because I’m pretty sure it would still be a trash fight to get any help. Never again will I use NRMA/COVERMORE. We have all of our cars and house insured with NRMA, seriously thinking about finding another insurer. Safe travels and good luck if you use this company.

DON'T EVEN BOTHER WITH NRMA. Paid for comprehensive travel insurance including snowboarding then I fractured my knee snowboarding. Mountain couldn't do an MRI and suspected meniscus tear. Was due to travel home a few days later so I was instructed to go to GP and get an MRI upon return. I did all that and actually had a tibial fracture so had to… Read more

pay $170 for a brace plus ongoing physio. Called them to ask them to cover the brace since the fracture was done in new Zealand and I was misdiagnosed so technically I should have been given the brace in NZ. NRMA blatantly refused this and paid the measly one off mountain doctor $73 consult and do not pay ANY ongoing fees in Australia. The insurance itself cost much more. Pointless for me- I'd do your research and don't support this company for travel insurance.

Easy process – I had to lodge a claim for an emergency medical expense for my overseas trip. I attached all the relevant documents such as the medical report, invoice and receipts. Within 4 business days my claim was accepted and payment was issued. There was no going around in circles or requests for more information. From online claim lodgement to finalisation, it was a really seamless process. Show details ·  1

Looks good until – I need to make a claim against my insurance but their claim form is atrocious. I cannot get through to the support desk - I did get Covermore but they gave me another number to call for NRMA and that number has had me going in circles through the options again and again. Show details ·  1

Very impressed and grateful – We have an Annual Multi Trip International Comprehensive policy and we were travelling in western China in September when I suffered a significant leg injury that required surgery within two weeks. After four days NRMA had me medically evacuated back to the Gold Coast with both of us flying in business class so I could put my leg up during the… Read more

flight. Because I had private health insurance in Australia NRMA arranged for a top surgeon at a private hospital and had a vehicle waiting at Brisbane airport to take me straight to the hospital on the Gold Coast. I was operated on successfully two days later. NRMA also paid for our overseas medical, additional and cancellation expenses ten days after submitting the receipts as promised. We have been using NRMA travel insurance since we retired and we have always found them to be very competitively priced compared to other insurance policies - especially if you are a home insurance customer.

Medical condition rort – We took out a yearly comprehensive travel insurance policy. I have since been diagnosed with Atrial Fibrillation, after initially being advised I didn’t need to add this to the policy I later found out I was required to. I called to add this and was advised that it would be an additional $1700! I have looked into other companies and with the same… Read more

condition the additional premium is between $295 and $430. How can they justify this massive difference? Can’t get any responses from them. They will be losing a lot of our business after nearly 40 years, there is no loyalty from them.

RUNNING in CIRCLES for MONTHS – Complete incompetence by the claims team. Missed items on the claim. When notified about the missing items I've somehow slipped into a never ending multiverse of merry-go-rounds. Informed multiple times from customer service that it would be finalised within 24hrs of the call made and then to find out the following day that the previous days… Read more

customer service statement was wrong and it's in an ongoing NEVER ENDING process.

And of course, the people managing the claim are very conviently unreachable. Tucked away safely in an air conditioned office from customers with real world problems.

If you have your items stolen, provided all the necessary documentation and you want to be reimbursed in a timely fashion. GO ELSEWHERE, you've been WARNED!

Oddly enough customer service have been very nice through the process. Complaints Team = POO.

NRMA Travel Insurance is a s***t show – Claim numbers on my policy are incorrect as I live in WA. SO after wasting hours on hold to QLD finally was given correct number. They can't sort our my online account so I can see my policy online either. Show details

Thought it would be safe using a big name in the insurance world, so wrong – Very painful experience trying to make our claim online. Website refused to go past a certain point then automatically submitted before we could attach any receipts or sign. Contacted Covermore and was told to contact NRMA. The NRMA contact number is a constant loop of button pushing to get through multiple menus. Got cut off multiple times.… Read more

Finally got through after an hour or so. NRMA said it was a glitch in the app and emailed us a form. The form is a nightmare. You also have to print it to sign it, then scan it back in to email it back to NRMA. My daughter has also tried to do a claim online and the app crashed on her as well so not a one off incident. Would be interesting to see how many other people experience the same issue with the online claim form. I won’t be using NRMA for my insurance for any future trips.

Isn't worth it - non responsive claims team – Submitted a travel claim over 13 business days ago. Absolutely no communication from the claims team. Was then advised that the claims processing time had been escalated to 35 business days. Read their PDS - for cancellations - everything for which you would normally expect to be covered for is excluded. Avoid purchasing their policy. Show details

No way to contact them, go around in circles – I'm just glad I didn't have a claim...would have been a nightmare. I just want to cancel my policy in line with their terms, however no-one picks up the phone and the email address simply acknowledges your send....no other reply. I have had to raise dispute with credit card company. Show details

Pathetic! Avoid at all costs – NRMA and their underwriter (Covermore) have repeatedly denied paying out a claim for replacement flights after having my journey home cancelled at the last minute in March 2020. The case was referred to AFCA in April & nrma are still refusing to budge. Their excuse? The policy does not cover pandemics & because the claim took place towards the… Read more

end of my trip it also does not apply. Go figure. Disgusting, shameful & pathetic. As a former lifelong member, my advice is to do yourself a favour & avoid!

Disgusted with NRMA – Booked International Travel with NRMA, since I have been a member for over 15 years, and did have an incident in Honolulu and was hospitalised. NRMA were fantastic. I rang today to cancel my travel policy because I can't go overseas at the moment due to the Corona virus. I didn't think they would do it for free, I expected maybe a small admin… Read more

charge, but to find I will lose over $90 for a 'just in case', that never happened, is totally wrong! Shame on you NRMA, especially at this time and all policies should be null and void at this time, and not, 'did you read your PDF'. I am not happy with this service seeing I never actually travelled anywhere, and was not due to travel till mid May.

Helpline not – Three weeks trying to extend my overseas travel policy without success. Six communications ignored and long delays trying to call using the helpline number. Two suggested solutions from NRMA, the first sent by email and the second by phone with the helpline, have produced no result and I am still left without travel cover. No coordination between NRMA, IAG and Cover-More and the customer is ignored. A poor experience after 25+ years with NRMA. Show details

NRMA Travel Insurance Beware beware when using them for travel insurance – Contacted this Company over a year ago to take out Travel Insurance for a trip on a cruise to Hawaii AND French polynesia for August 29th this year for 35 days returning 3rd October. Was told Yes! we will cover you, Pay the fee o$4500.00 I did that, then received a questionnaire in the Post asking about my Medical condition (after I had… Read more

paid the $4500.00 ) I filled it out and what came back was an online paperwork policy that deleted just about every medical condition you can think of, however when I first made contact spoke to Man he said Yes! you are indeed covered. But pay up first, which I did. I have had two stents have slight High Blood pressure and am 78 yrs old a woman. Nothing else is wrong with me. Imagine how I felt when I read all the deletions what a rip off. I would never had paid had I known that in the first place. They even said I would not be covered for any Respiratory condition, kidney disease etc etc. when I asked for a hard copy of the policy was told by man again they would send it out Well it never came. my Girlfriend said Well my dear what are you covered for? I said probably only malicious damage and maybe theft. I certainly feel cheated and conned I insisted on a hard copy but it was never sent out I am doing a world cruise next year 106 days and I wont be insuring with NRMA I will use Covermore SO Take NOTE all travellers. Don't pay any money until you have absolute proof that all your health needs will be covered. My advice is dont insure with NRMA

Definitely not a fan – My husband knocked out his whole front tooth in Thailand the day before we flew home. Logically, we therefore sought treatment in Australia as the trauma to his gums had to recede before restoration could happen (we had our dentist write a letter stating this as well). NRMA denied our claim as they do not provide insurance for services in… Read more

Australia. This is ridiculous, would they have preferred we stayed overseas for another two weeks until it could be fixed? Paid accommodation, flight changes, daily costs etc? Should we have risked a sketchy dentist in Thailand? I understand the policy is reasonable in most circumstances, but I think that exceptions should be made in exceptional circumstances and travellers should not be punished for making a logical decision. What if we stayed for another two weeks and they still denied our claim? They certainly don't make decisions on claims quickly.

Don’t do it. Get different insurance for overseas that supports you ,they are good in Australia NOT Overseas – I purchased full comprehensive travel ins for myself and 2 sons .I’m in hospital in east Germany now into my 5th day. I got plurisey some how and had to continually call Nrma/cover more they don’t believe me about my condition Only today they said they would pay for hospital E5000. Who has that sort of money at the end of their trip availanle.… Read more

I warn everyone going o/s look elsewhere You need cover that works in none English speaking countries and believes you. When policy purchased none of this was declared only after when claim made

NRMA travel Insurance – I am currently overseas and needed to contact emergency assistance as I had fallen ill with gastro, fainted and hit my head. I was taken to hospital just over 7 days ago and NRMA insurance has still not decided whether to assist me. Their emergency assistance area handling this have been terrible. Show details

Need to get their act right! – Taking out a travel insurance policy with NRMA. As a customer of all our insurance needs. They let us down this time.. As for our medical conditions for a quote jump from $116.00 to $252.00.. For 8 days of domestic insurance. So what is wrong about us using our Medicare and our private health fund? As I said to them that we don't need medical… Read more

insurance..I had read bad reports of NRMA, and hate to find out about making a claim with them...As one said Thieves NRMA on travel insurance bloody greedy....

Travel insurance no stars – No stars rating.. Thieves NRMA on travel insurance bloody greedy. Don't pay out on delays or your holidays. Been spoilt. Don't stranded.. Go with NRMA. You'll be sick.. Trying to claim.. Then 5 weeks later saying no.Refunds.. Very evil. And then charge you to leave.. And no refund...  Show details

Woeful experience – I have been a NRMA customer for 26 years. I am also a frequent traveller and while shopping for travel insurance for a trip in April next year, I came across NRMA annual multi trip travel insurance. It seemed like a reasonable deal - $611 per year - so I signed up. I received my insurance certificate, effective 04 July 2018, so I did not think any… Read more

more about it. I am due to fly out to the US on Sunday so I rang NRMA to check if i needed to notify them every time I travelled. Instead I was told that my annual multi travel insurance was not valid until my trip in April next year. I pointed out to the representative that I would not have bought and paid for a policy that far in advance unless I could use it. No problem, I said, please change the commencement date to today instead of April next year. After liaising with CoverMore, the NRMA representative told me that was not possible. NRMA would have credit the original policy - and I would only receive $458 as I was cancelling outside the cooling off period - and it would take up to five days before receiving the credit, leaving me $600 out of pocket just before I was due to leave. I asked NRMA to cancel my policy and immediately bought an InsureandGo for a lot less. Now I am reconsidering what to do with my other NRMA insurances...

NRMA Travel Insurance is Underwritten by Covermore, Our Loyalty with NRMA means nothing – Over the past 10 yrs of enjoying cruises in our retirement years and taking out travel insurance with NRMA (which is underwritten by Covermore) and being loyal NRMA customers for over 40yrs, and having at this time approx 10 NRMA Policies, House/Contents Ins, Car Ins, etc We again took out Travel Insurance for a 9 day cruise in March. My husband's… Read more

mother has had poor health for the past 10yrs, which at the age of 94 yrs is not something that has hindered our travels of 9 cruises over this time. Unfortunately she passed away on our recent cruise and we flew home to make arrangements and be with family members. Having Travel insurance we felt the financial loss would be covered by Travel insurance. No apparently. Our Elderly mother had a pre existing illness over the past 8 yrs, which at that age would be expected, so we were not covered. Shame on Covermore and shame on NRMA for not providing us with the cover we required and the absence of any consideration for our loyalty over many decades. We will be not renewing any of our NRMA Policies when they become due, which per annum, amount to the same monetary annual amount of our Travel Claim. Loyalty means nothing. And we have now decided to claim the same privilege of our loyalty to NRMA and never deal with them again. But continue to enjoy many Travels each year as planned in our retirement.

Drowned my iPad Air .....covermore is pathetic – I drowned an iPad Air with 64G and 3G...I had a receipt for $900. A compulsory quote from a repairer to say that it was a write off cost $50. The excess was $100 and the depreciation took the rest. They offered me $42 for an item that I could still buy new! So to make the claim I was negative $8! It was impossible to discuss it with the NRMA -… Read more

they flicked it at every attempt. Covermore were appalling for some time until eventually I told them we were in dispute and then they offered more...and we settled. But the stress is not worth it.

Worthless Insurance – Missed our flight because of error in itinerary printout. All we needed was help to cover a short haul European flight but when we called NRMA we were told we had no claim and were left high and dry. We didn't need a cash payout all we needed was help and what we got was ignored.  Show details

Loyalty they say! You are not dealing with NRMA – We had a family trip to the US (Disneyland etc) planned for February. We decided to get travel insurance through NRMA (at a higher premium than other less well known insurers) because we had a relationship with NRMA and thought our loyalty would count for something. At the time we had 7 policies with them and had been a member for nearly 30 yrs… Read more

without a claim. My son broke his ankle 2 weeks before we were supposed to leave and was unable to fly so we had to cancel the holiday. When we made the claim we were quickly handed over to Covermore insurance who it turns out the policy was with. Covermore acknowledged that our claim was legitimate but refused to cover the $1200 cancellation fees charged by the travel agent. How are "Travel" Agents cancellation fees not covered by "travel" insurance (particularly when the travel agent was Flight Centre who recommend Covermore). When I contacted NRMA they told me it had nothing to do with them and quickly washed their hands of me. I later rang an NRMA consultant and asked if they thought travel agents cancellation fees would be covered by the policy and they said "they couldn't see why not".

Very disappointed. Bought the policy with NRMA because of their reputation but all they were interested in was taking the sale. I am now a disgruntled "loyal" customer looking for many insurance alternatives.

NRMA travel insurance claims process more painful than Root Canal – A little over 2 months into a 5 month trip to France I experienced excruciating tooth pain as a result of an infection under a tooth. As a result I had to seek professional advice and treatment from a dentist in Lyon. As a soon as I returned to Sydney in 2017, a claim was submitted to NRMA for around $1400. The following is a list of the… Read more

documents requested and provided to date:

1. Airline Ticket with travel details

2. Credit card statement showing the purchase of the travel ticket.

3. My claim form that identified the need for dental treatment as a result of server tooth pain – from an infection that ultimately required root canal therapy.

4. Dental procedural details describing the treatment and my condition in sufficient detail for payment by the French health care system.

5. A translation of the Dental procedures detailed in 4 above.

6. Proof of payment of the above dental expense.

7. A medical certificate supplied by my regular Doctor (GP) that evidences that I was in good health prior to leaving Australia

8. A Medical Authority that allows you full and free access to my historic medical records

9. A Medical Authority that allows you full and free access to my historic dental records; and that should you wish to enquire those records clearly indicate a dental procedure was performed.

I then received a call from the claims department saying the claim couldn't be paid because a Medical Authority hadn't been provided. When I explained that it had been provided and he locate the Authority, he then changed tact and refused the claim saying that yet a further Medical Report from the French Dentist was required.

*** would not recommend****

They don't tell you everything! – Policy seemed great and easy to apply for, after doing some research this seemed like the best. During my trip to Vanuatu, I perforated my eardrum, which caused me to be out of work for 2 weeks. I lost over $1100 of income and being casual, was not paid sick leave at work. I had proof of my rostered shifts and when trying to submit a claim for… Read more

loss of income, was told they only cover your loss of income a month after your return! Any money lost in the first 30 days out of work is not covered! If I had known this prior to leaving I would not have paid over $150 for insurance that would not properly cover me. Disappointed and will NOT be using NRMA again.

Great until you submit a claim – Like all NRMA policies our travel insurance policy was quick and easy to set up, make the payment and receive the relevant documentation. Our well known airline carrier cancelled our flight and put us on a flight 24 hours later. As we would miss our connecting flight we had to purchase new replacement air tickets to fly to our destination.… Read more

Making a claim is done via the web. The process to submit your details is terrible. Your travel agent is also required to submit supporting documentation. The insurance company responses were poor and extremely frustrating seeking additional details and wasting time.

Our claim was denied as this policy only covers delays due to airline strikes. It does not cover operational delays.

Good, and bad – Purchased online via webpage. Supposedly entitled to 5% Member discount ? At no time asked for membership details. Seemed to be interested in home insurance cover held ? Can choose to simply not cover pre-existing conditions. Simple. This is for you if you have a non-serious pre-existing condition. Shocking web forms, calendars for dates… Read more

of birth are something like 18 months off the mean date for any given age. If you need to go back it cancels the names and addresses. There is a drop down combo box for Visa/MC with no arrow control and two buttons that do nothing because they are actually only logos. Radio buttons for two choices guys. Making a choice cancels the details? Credit cards have BIN numbers anyway guys.

Final page does not confirm email, nor phone contact details, and get this, *resets* to the home page. So good luck working out your coverage details. Certificate checks out, but otherwise it looks very scammy.

Unfair and pointless – My partner and I spent some time in New Zealand for a holiday and our carry on luggage was stolen out of our rental car. It contained our passports and other belongings. Due to their ridiculous terms and conditions our claim was unsuccessful because they did not cover ‘unattended luggage that was not in the boot.’ Yet, our boot was already full of… Read more

other larger luggage as the rental car was rather a small vehicle. Their policies are extremely unfair and do not consider the rights of their clients particularly when the circumstances were beyond their control. Would not recommend.

Great service at claim time – This was my first time taking out travel insurance to cover me for sickness but first time ever my luggage’s was delayed and I was so happy with the claim process after I got back. Being jet lag I was so impress how processing the claim over the telephone was so easy and simple. The consultant was very helpful  Show details ·  1

NRMA was awesome. Covermore as their underwriters, were NOT! – The policy was a competitive price. My husband and I went to Europe and we're supposed to take a transatlantic cruise to the USA. Unfortunately one of our bags was stolen on a train in Italy, containing our passports, expensive Nikon camera equipment, Apple Watch, various chargers and adaptors, and my husband's house and car keys. As it happened… Read more

on a Friday the Australian consulate in Rome was unable to do anything til Monday.

NRMA were lifesavers. At a time when we were thoroughly shaken up, frustrated, and upset at the sudden realization the cruise we'd saved so hard for over 5 years would leave without us, the customer service agents took over and were thorough and efficient in their organization. They had our hotel send a credit card authorization to them and extended our stay until the following Tuesday, and looked up information on the possibility that the emergency passports we would be issued wouldn't allow us into the USA (because they're not biometric). On the Tuesday we were to pick up the emergency passports, they organized a chauffeur from our hotel which was over an hour away from Rome, to the consulate, then he waited for us to pick up the passports and drove us to the airport, where return flights to Australia had been booked for us. (The exception was the incompetent people on the graveyard shift in the call Centre who knew nothing and fobbed us off, saying we'd have to call back unless it was a medical issue)

The numerous fantastic customer support staff we spoke to generally took much of the difficulty off our hands and made a very difficult situation more bearable.

Unfortunately, lodging the claim with Covermore on our return was an absolute nightmare of inefficiency and frustration because-

1) The Apple Watch I'd received as a birthday gift in February was depreciated 30%

2) My husband's camera equipment was depreciated almost 60% (2years old, professional quality)

3) All the conversion rates (€ to AUD and USD to AUD) they repaid were not calculated at the market rate, or if they found their rates somewhere secret, I'd like to buy currency from there next time we go away. Our return from Covermore didn't reflect what we paid.

4) The major stack of paperwork required as a claim, though our travel agent said it's usually done over the phone, with support documentation simply emailed, they said this wasn't an option for NRMA customers (we assumed it must only be for people who deal with Covermore directly)

5) Every time we called, we were told that our claim was being assessed, but no one could tell us exactly what was going on with it. Eventually we made our way up the command hierarchy and found a manager who understood what was going on, but the general customer support staff should be renamed desk jockeys. They have ABSOLUTELY no knowledge of anything.

In summary, we'd go through NRMA again in a heartbeat, (though their night shift people could do with training on how to help people in ANY kind of travel emergency, and a personality transplant that could lead them to actually want to assist people rather than fobbing them off and getting them to call back during normal working hours. However I hope NRMA moves to a different underwriter in the future, because dealing with Covermore was HELL! Possibly a company that gives a proper market value on replacement items, and accurate currency conversion as according to ANYWHERE currency can be purchased.

Probably alright to use now – No wonder the NRMA in Feb 2014 changed to the UK Great Lakes insurance for travel. Unfortunately we were probably one of the last NRMA's CGU claims that CGU dwelt with and we got the full treatment such as changing contact person three times, dramatically reducing what we got covered, wanting heaps of extra information, dragging out the process, etc.  Show details